Notes and images courtesy of WBSC.
Today’s one-game playoff between baseball powerhouse Dominican Republic and Olympic newcomer Israel will decide whose hopes of a medal will continue. The winner will have the chance to play against the United States for a spot in the second semifinal, which is scheduled for Thursday, 5 August. The other nation’s Olympic dream will come to an end.
The Dominican Republics is going with left-hander Christopher Criostomo as the team’s starting pitcher. The 27-year-old, who plays for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), started the Tokyo 2020 opening game against Japan, pitching six strong innings and getting a no decision. Israel will hand the ball to right-hander Josh Zeid. The 34-year-old former MLB pitcher started Sunday game against Mexico, going 2.1 innings.
Game Notes
- Dominican Republic and Israel have never met before at a major international tournament (Olympic Games, World Cup, World Baseball Classic, Premier 12).
- Dominican Republic has won each of its last six games against WBSC Europe opponents at major tournaments, since a 2-1 defeat to Netherlands at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
- Dominican Republic has won one and lost two games at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. All three of its games were decided by a one-run margin.
- In both of Dominican Republic’s defeats at Tokyo 2020 (4-3 v Japan, 4-3 v Republic of Korea), it had a 3-1 lead in the middle of the ninth inning. It conceded three runs in the bottom of the ninth on both occasions.
- Dominican Republic’s only victory in these Olympic Games was a 1-0 over Mexico in the group stage. In its only previous Olympic Games participation (Barcelona 1992), it won two games – 11-2 against Spain and 7-5 against Italy – and lost five.
- Israel has won one and lost three games at Tokyo 2020, its debut Olympic Games.
- Israel lost 6-5 to Republic of Korea and 8-1 to United States in the group stage, before beating Mexico 12-5 in Round 1 and falling 11-1 to Republic of Korea again in the Konckout Round (Round 2).
- Only Republic of Korea’s Park Hae Min (.571), Mexico’s Joey Meneses (.500) and Japan’s Kai Takuya (.500) have an as high a batting average at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as Dominican Republic’s Julio Rodríguez (.500).
- Israel’s Ryan Lavarnway and Danny Valencia (both 2) are two of five players to have hit multiple home runs at these Olympic Games, alongside Republic of Korea’s Oh Ji Hwan and Kim Hyun-soo and United States’s Triston Casas (all 2).
- Valencia (5) is the runs leader at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
